Salsa Social in Brooklyn

Where’s the  best place for dancing salsa and Latin music?

I have recently heard many complaints from students who have gone out to salsa clubs and didn’t have the type of experience they thought they would have.  The club was advertised as a salsa/Latin club, but played mostly pop music. There was salsa dancing, but only in a small room in the back.   No one was really dancing salsa.  They were just there to pick up.  Or, they were just standing on the floor with drinks in hand.  The club was too crowded to dance or move.  There were too many thugs or hoodlum types.  The floor was not good for dancing.  It was too sticky from spilt beer or other drinks.  Or, it was a tile floor that a woman’s heels easily get caught up in.  Not good for dancing.   In order to get a seat,  you needed to buy a drink.   What it you don’t drink and don’t like paying $3 for a bottle of water.  They advertised, dancing begins at 9, but no one was there at 9.  It didn’t get going til 12.  The list can go on, but you get the idea.  There are good clubs that have salsa and Latin dancing, with a good clean wood floor, real dancers and reasonable pricing;  but they are few and far between.

My recommendation is next time you want to go salsa dancing, go to a dance school social.  You will find friendly people who are there to dance and not drink.  The music will be what you want, with no club attitude, and at a reasonable start time.   You can usually leave your purse unattended and not worry.  Many dance schools socials also include food and drinks in the price.  A dance school will usually tell you in their ad,  or on their calendar, exactly what music they will be playing.  If it’s advertised as a salsa/Latin mix, that’s what you’ll get.  Lots of salsa, with some bachata, cha cha and merengue.  No Rihanna or Lady Gaga.  So, the winner is dance schools.